Momentous milestone for the LSA

The Legal Sector Alliance is today celebrating the signing of its 100th member.

Bradford and Leeds based law firm Schofield Sweeney take the honour of becoming the 100th member and their membership highlights the inclusive nature of the LSA, which brings together practices of all sizes.

Other firms to recently join the alliance include Southampton based firm, Paris Smith, and London firms Travers Smith, Russell Jones & Walker and Robin Simon. LSA members represent over twenty per cent of solicitors in private practice.

The LSA principles provide both a framework to support individual action by each member and an outline of the LSA’s commitment to collective action. They cover members’ own operations, but also their wider influence on clients, suppliers, employees and policy makers and have been developed through extensive consultation with environmental experts and law firms of all sizes across the country.

Schofield Sweeney’s Managing Partner, Martin Sweeney, says:

'It is a core value of ours that we should make a positive contribution to the community in which we operate, and a key part of that commitment is to reduce our environmental impact. The framework offered by the LSA is extremely valuable in helping us to put our climate change principles into practice and it is satisfying to know that our individual efforts have greater muscle-power by being part of a wider collaborative programme. We also hope to extend the influence of these principles outside the firm by incorporating them into our supplier evaluation process and through cost efficiencies that will directly benefit clients. We are delighted to be the 100th member of the LSA and I am sure it will not be too long before the 200th member is announced.'

Sir Nigel Knowles, Chair of the LSA, said:

'Whilst awareness of the threat posed by climate change has never been higher, there is a real danger that the economic problems we currently face will push climate change down the agenda for both Governments and business. By joining the Legal Sector Alliance, and sharing best practice, there are real opportunities to not only reduce carbon emissions, but also costs and increase business efficiency. The legal community are making a robust and swift response with taking action on the issues and challenges that the climate crisis presents. Reaching 100 diverse members is a real achievement and demonstrates the legal sector's proactive approach to climate change.'